Joshua 5:13-15
One day, Joshua was near Jericho when he saw a man standing some distance in front of him. The man was holding a sword, so Joshua walked up to him and asked, "Are you on our side or on our enemies' side?"
"Neither," he answered. "I am here because I am the commander of the LORD's army."
Joshua fell to his knees and bowed down to the ground. "I am your servant," he said. "Tell me what to do."
"Take off your sandals," the commander answered. "This is a holy place."
So Joshua took off his sandals.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Recently, I met a friend I had not seen in awhile at Wal-Mart, and as we talked, I learned that she was experiencing some hardships. This person really wanted to talk. I had a lot of shopping to do, but this woman was hurting, and she really needed encouragement. Part of me wanted to say, “Listen, I’d love to keep visiting, but I’ve got to get my shopping done.” But another Voice said, “You are my servant… I’m using you to offer words of assurance to this person.” In that moment, I realized that even in the grocery store, we can stand on Holy ground!
Do you recognize God and/or His agents when they show up in your life? When an angel comes to minister to you, are you aware that God has just done a holy thing for you? When God presents you with an opportunity to minister in His name, do you seize it? See, we probably won’t get a soldier with a sword. Our “sign” most likely will not be that literal. We will have to watch for more subtle indications that God is present… that He is creating a holy place where we need to “remove our sandals” and connect with Him.
I believe that we are given opportunities every day to bless and be a blessing for God. And the more attuned we become to His will and His presence, the more this will happen. But sadly, some of us will miss many of these because we are 1) not aware, and 2) not obedient.
Do you get that God is waiting to bless you and meet your needs in ways you can’t even begin to imagine? Do you understand that you have to be awake and alert in order to connect – to recognize when you are standing in a holy place? Are you so caught up in the day-to-day activities of life and survival that you are missing out on what’s really important? Isn’t it time we worked a little harder at connecting with God in a deep and intimate way, so that we never fail to recognize Him or His agents?
How often do you stand in a holy place these days? Are you ready to step out and up – to take off your sandals… and truly make the connection of a lifetime?
©2011 Debbie Robus
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